What is wofi? A Modern Application Launcher for Wayland

Introducing wofi: A Modern Application Launcher for Wayland

If you’re a user of Wayland and looking for a sleek, efficient way to launch applications, wofi is an excellent tool to consider. Designed specifically for wlroots-based Wayland compositors, wofi offers functionality similar to popular launchers like rofi and dmenu, making it a versatile addition to your Linux toolkit.

What is wofi?

Wofi is an application launcher developed to work seamlessly with wlroots-based Wayland environments. It’s lightweight, customizable, and easy to use, providing a user-friendly interface for launching applications, executing commands, or even piping custom input for dynamic querying.

Key Features

  • Application Launching: Easily access and launch installed applications with a simple command.
  • Command Execution: Run any command from a list, making it versatile for different workflows.
  • Custom Input: Pipe custom data into wofi to select options dynamically, suitable for scripts or custom menus.

How to Use wofi

Displaying Applications

To see a list of installed applications (desktop entries), use:

wofi --show drun

This command presents you with a GUI list of applications, similar to how rofi’s drun mode works. Select an app to launch it directly from the launcher.

Showing All Commands

If you want to execute commands or choose from a broader list, run:

wofi --show run

This mode displays all available commands, offering a quick way to run scripts or shell commands.

Piping Input for Dynamic Selection

For more advanced use cases, you can pipe custom options into wofi. For example:

printf "Choice1\nChoice2\nChoice3" | wofi --dmenu

This setup shows a menu with the choices “Choice1,” “Choice2,” and “Choice3”. When you select one, wofi outputs the selection to stdout, which can be captured and used in scripts.

Learn More

For detailed information, customization options, and updates, check out the official repository: https://hg.sr.ht/~scoopta/wofi.

Conclusion

Wofi provides a simple yet powerful launcher experience tailored for Wayland users. Whether you’re launching apps, running commands, or integrating into scripts, wofi makes your workflow efficient and visually appealing. Give it a try and streamline your Wayland environment today!

See Also